Advisory Board of The American Rabbi

David W. Epstein is the previous publisher of The American Rabbi. A graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and Wesleyan University in Connecticut, he began producing The American Rabbi journal in 1993 for its founder, Rabbi Harry Essrig z”l, and became the publisher in 1998. David is also the Publisher of Western States Jewish History Journal and Director of the Jewish Museum of the American West (www.JMAW.org). He is a scholar-in-residence for synagogues and museums, and is recognized as a “Gold” level speaker by Toastmasters International.

Robyn Fryer Bodzin is a rabbi at Beth Tzedec Congregation in Toronto, Canada. She spent over twenty years living in the United States. She studied at both the Wurzweiler School of Social Work and the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, where she was ordained in 2005. For ten years, she led the Israel Centre of Conservative Judaism in Flushing, Queens. She holds leadership positions on many boards and with many organizations.

Brian Glusman is the Director of Membership, Outreach and Community Engagement at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and also serves as rabbi at Congregation Shearith Israel (Conservative) in Columbus, GA. He was ordained by The Academy for Jewish Religion and is a member of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association,  He has an M.A.in counseling and advanced training as a couples, marriage and family therapist from the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Council for Relationships. Previously, he served as rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Birmingham, AL, and Temple Shalom in Colorado Springs, CO.

Lou Feldstein is the CEO and Founder of Dynamic Change Solutions and organizational enhancement and change management firm specializing in non profits and faith based organizations. For over ten years he served as the rabbi of Congregation B’nai Israel in Fayetteville, GA.  He received his smicha from the Hebrew Union College in 1987.

Bonnie Koppell serves as rabbi to the Temple Chai community in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Upon her ordination in 1981, she became the first female Rabbi to serve in the U.S. Military. In 2013 she earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. Rabbi Koppell’s writings have been published in numerous books and journals. She is a frequent newspaper columnist and much sought-after speaker.

Allan Lehmann is Associate Dean of Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Newton, Massachusetts, and Co-Director of its Bet Midrash. Past-president of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis, he previously served as Jewish Chaplain and Hillel Director at Brandeis University and as rabbi of Congregation B’nai Israel, Gainesville, Florida. He received rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and has trained as a Jewish spiritual director.

Eliot Pearlson has served as the spiritual leader of Temple Menorah in Miami for over 30 years. He pursued rabbinic studies at The Talmudic University of South Florida, Yeshiva University, Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch in Brooklyn and Yeshivat Hatfutzot in Jerusalem. He also holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in biochemistry, a Masters in Rabbinic Literature and a Doctor of Ministry. Rabbi Pearlson is a member of the Union of Traditional Rabbis – Morasha, past president of The Greater Miami Rabbinical Association, and is the Regional President of “Amcha” – The Coalition for Jewish Concerns, and is currently Secretary-Vice President of the North American Boards of Rabbis.

Dina Rosenberg serves as rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom in Manalapan, New Jersey. She was ordained at The Jewish Theological Seminary with a focus on pastoral counseling. She has served communities in Biloxi, MS; Watertown, NY; Brooklyn, NY; and Olney, MD.

Julie S. Schwartz was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, in June 1986.  She became the first woman rabbi to serve as a chaplain in the United States military and served at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California.  Rabbi Schwartz is a board certified chaplain through the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and is a certified supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education.  After serving as the senior rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Atlanta, she returned to Cincinnati and the Hebrew Union College campus.  She  holds the post of Adjunct Associate Professor of Human Relations and supervises the programs in Clinical Pastoral Education as well as teaching courses in related content.

Mark Zimmerman is senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Shalom in Atlanta, Georgia, where he has served for over 30 years. He is past president of the Rabbinical Assembly SE Region, and of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association.  Mark has produced two widely utilized websites: www.sidduraudio.com and www.haftorahaudio.com to help the Jewish community become more proficient with the Hebrew liturgy and haftarot.  He is also a member of the AIPAC National Council, and serves as chaplain for the Dunwoody, GA police department. Rabbi Zimmerman currently manages and publishes “The American Rabbi” web journal.